Tractor trailer



June 26, 1928.

P. E. HANSON TRACTOR TRAILER Original Filed Feb. 1e, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 1 nvm. .mw

June 26, 1 928.

' P. E. HANsoN TRACTOR TRAILER original Filed Feb. 16. 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 INENTOR P E. 17a/6010.

ATTORNEYS Patented June 26, 1928.

usaran STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.

PETER EDVTIN HANSON, OF yGALVESCHON, TEXAS.

'rRAcroR TRAILER.

Application filed February 16,'1926, Serial No; 88,608. Renewed Decemberv 21, 1927.

My invention relates generally to trailers for automotive vehicles, more particularly to a trailer for a tractor and it consists in the combinations, constructions and y.arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provision in a tractor trailer of coupling means for connecting the body ofthe trailerwith the draft tractor so that the greater part of the load of the trailer will be supported by the tractor and the tractor can turn at a relatively sharp angle to the longitudinal axis of the trailer, as in turning a corner, without the wheels of the tractor coming in contact with the coupling means which connects the trailer with the tractor.

A further object of the invention is the provision ina trailer of a rear vendv gate which is hinged to the floor of the trailer substantially at the level of the trailer'tioor and is adapted to be lowered from position for closing therear end of the body of the trailer to position to rest at its free edge on the ground and then to serve as a runway on which heavy articles, vsuch as bales of cotton, can be transported in wheelbarrows, small hand truck, or the like onto the floor of the trailer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear en d portion of a tractor of a well known type of construction andthe forward end ,portion of its trailer embodying the invention and connected with the tractor.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coupling means for connecting the trailer with the tractor, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the rear end portion of a trailer, showing in full lines the rear end gate in raised position forpreventing falling of articles from the rear end portion of the body of the trailer and showing in dotted 'lines the rearend gate in lowered position and adapted toserve as a runway. y .l

A trailer embodying the invention is intended Vprimarily for use in transporting heavy loads of rather bulky objects such as bales of cotton. To this end, the body fof the trailer .may include relatively heavy frame members, such as the longitudinal spaced middle beams indicated at 1 in Fig. 3 and the longitudinal side beams, such asinvany suitable known manner, not shown.

The frame of the body of the trailer carries a rear axle 5 which is located at a desirable distance from the rear end of the body of the trailer and which has the wheels 6 mounted thereon.

The coupling for connecting the body of the trailer with a tractor 7 and forcooperating with the wheels A6 and the axle to support the body ofthe trailer substantially iii-horizontal position is indicated generally at 8 in Fig. 1. This" coupling is of Vthe goose-neck type and comprises a pair of yspaced substantially inverted U-shaped members 9 having the rearward arms Vthereof turned in a rearward directionpand substantially horizontalas indicated at 10, thus producing attaching members which are rigidly secured by suitable fastening devices 11 to the middle longitudinal beams 1 of the frame of the trailer body. The front arms of the inverted U-shaped members 9 have forwardly `turned attaching end portions '12 which are rigidly secured 'by fastening devices 13 to avflat plate 14. The latter is'swivelly attached to a flat plate portion 14a of a bracket having a depending arm 15 which is connected bypa horizontal pivot element 16 with an upstanding arm on a block 17. The block 17 is secured on the tractor, as for example on the rear axle housing of the latter. The inverted U- shaped members-9 are arched suiliciently to provide clearance for the rear wheels 18 of the tractor when the tractor is turned at a sharp angle to the longitudinal aXis of the trailer. The tractor therefore can be operated to turn the trailer in a space of relatively slight area.

The web portions of the inverted U-shaped members 9 may have a platform 19 secured thereon which may be used for any desirable purpose, as for example, to

accommodate workmen whose lservices are utilized in'loading and unloading the trailer and also to support any suitable object which may be disposedthereon. Y

The body of the trailer'carries suitable sideguard structures, such Las indicated at 2O.A A rear end gate 21 is hinged atits lowtio er edge at 22 to the body of the trailer and can be swung to raised position as shown by the full lines in Figure 3 or swung downwardly from the position shown by the full lines in Figure 3 to the position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 3. When the rear end gate is in raised position, it may be secured to the side guard structures of t-he trailer in any suitable known manner, as by means of the chain 23 and then will be adapted to prevent objects, such as the bales 24, from falling out of the space between the side guard structures of the trailer at the rear end of the latter. When the rear end gate in its downwardly swung posi` tion as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 3, it is adapted to serve as a run-way on which wheclbarrows, hand trucks, or like devices can be moved to transfer heavy objects, such as the bales 24 from the ground to thefloor of the'trailer, or vice versa.

Thetractor is of a well known type' of conf-:traction andthe trailer-'can be conncct.

cdwith the tractor without any change in the ordinary construction of the tract-or beyond the addition of thermeans for connecting the members l2 withthe rear axle housingof the tractor. i

It will be manifest from the foregoing remarks and description, that a trailer einbodying the invention is simple in construction 'and affords facilities for the transporting of heavy loads and also permits the 'loading and unloading of the-trailer to be accomplished in a minimum time with but relatively little labor.

Obviously, my invention is susceptibleof embodiment in forms other than that 'illustra-ted in the accompanying drawings and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations of the form of the device herein described as fairly fall within the scope of` the appended claims` Iclaim:-

1. In a trailer construction, a trailer' body, and a coupling connecting the forward end portion of the trailer body with -a draft vehicle, said coupling being arched to afford clearance for the adjacent wheels of the draft vehicle 4when said draft vehicle is turned at an angle to the direction of length of the trailer body and the crown portions of the arched coupling also constituting a support upon which a platform may be supported.

2. A draft 4device including a channel shapedplate arranged to overlie the enlarged central part of attractor axle housing with its parallel side flanges attached to the opposite ends of said axle part, a `fifth wheel carried by the channel shaped plate, and a draw bar attachcdyto the fifth wheel.

3. In a draft device a channel shaped platcfor attachment to the axle housing of a motor vehicle, a disc above the channel transversely latter to swing about a horizontal axis, a

revolvable disc, superimposed on the first mentioned disc, a pair of parallel inverted U-shaped members arranged rearwardly of the plate and having their rear ends attachable to a vehicle, horizontal forwardly extending contacting extensions formed with the forward legs of the inverted U-shaped members having curved terminals attached to the revolvable` disc. Y

A4:. In a trailer construction, a coupling comprising a pair of substantially inverted U-shaped members having the rear arms thereof formed with rearwardly extendinfr substantially horizontal portions adapted for connection with the body of the trailer, said coupling members having forwardly turned attaching end portions for'pivotally connecting the coupling with a draft vehicle, the crown portions of said substantially `inverted U-shaped members being adapted for connection with a platform which is to be supported thereon. Y l

5. Inl-'a` trailer construction, a coupling comprising a pair of substantially inverted U-shaped members having rearwardly extending attaching portions on the rearward arms thereof and having forwardly turned attaching end portions on the forward arms thereof, a bracket supportedon the rear axle housing of tractor for turning movement about a horizontal axis and having a flat plate portion, a plate supported on said bracket plate for turning movement about a vertical axis, and means connecting the attaching end portions of the front arms of said coupling Amembers to said second named plate.

6. In a trailer construction, a body, having a pair of spaced longitudinallyv extending beams, a coupling comprising a pair of spaced inverted U-shapcd members havingY rearwardly extending attachingx arms secured to said beams, the front arms of said inverted U-shaped members having `forwardly turned attaching end portions, a plate supported on the axle hou-sing of a draft vehicle for turning movement about both vertical and horizontal axes, and means securing said forwardly turned attaching end portions of the coupling members to said plate.

7. In a draft device, an attaching element for connection with part of a motor vehicle, a fifth wheel carried thereby, a pair of substantially vertical parallel arms arranged rearwardly of the attaching element and arf i ranged to be secured to a vehicle, forwardly extending horizontally varranged contacting extensions carried by the arms each of which having a curved terminal supported on and attached to one of the elements of the fifth v wheel. 

